Radio signaling system



April 7, 1925. 1,532,356

R. A. WEAGANT I RADIO SIGNALING SYSTEM Original Filed Feb. '7, 1919 2 sheets sheet 1 U INVE;;OR 7- %T0'RY April 7,1925. 1,532,356

. R. A. WEAGANT RADIO SIGNALING SYSTEM Original Filed Feb. 7, 1919 g s s 2 INVENTOR El BY I zw//h,

Q AKZATTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES ROY ALEXANDER WEAGANT, OF DOUGLAS MANOR, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA, A CORPORATION OF DELA WARE.

' RADIO SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Application filed February 7, 1919. Serial No. 275,552. Renewed August 27, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROY ALEXANDER l/VEAGANT, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Douglas Manor, county of Queens, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Radio Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to. a new method and apparatus for eliminating or minimizing static interference in radio signaling, based upon my discovery as disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 181,458; that static disturbances behave as though due to vertically propagated heterogeneously polarized elcctro-magnet waves, while signals are recognized as vertically polarized horizontally propagated electro-magnetio waves. As in my said co-pending application, I utilize this difference in the direction of propagation to discriminate and distinguish between the effects due to static impulses and those due to signals.

In the illustrative apparatus shown in my co-pending application above referred to, the antennae are separated by an appreciable fraction of a wave length in the general direction of reception and the system is adjusted so that the currents due to successively arriving signal waves are dissimilar in phase and utilized in a detector circuit, while the currents due to substantially simultaneously received static disturbances are similar in phase and are balanced out.

. The primary object of the present invention is to avoid the necessity of widely-separated antennm or antennae extending'over considerable horizontal distances, to obtain effective wave length spacing, which forms of construction, although highly efficient and satisfactorily operative, introduce certain mechanical and electrical lnconvenlences due largely to the amount of space or territory covered by the antennae.

I have devised a method of static elimination by means of which the vertically propagated static interference and the horizontally propagated signal waves may be received in an antenna system having relatively small equivalent aerials located at the receiving station, thus doing away with fractional wave length spacing between vantennae and the attendant produced. therein by static impulses, while signal currents are produced in the antennae in the same sense or direction and may be usefully retained. I

These newly discovered attributes or properties of antenna, by means of which I am enabled to discriminate between static and signal currents, without fractional wave length spacing, seem to be true of ungrounded linear oscillators arranged in the same vertical plane or in substantially parallel vertical planes, and oppositely inclined to the horizon or horizontal plane. As an construction electrically, antennae may be employed having effective resultants extending along imaginary lines in space forming opposite angles with the horizon; IVhether or not forms of antennae or portions of an antenna system, other than I can best describe my method by referv ence to the accompanying drawings showing preferred forms of my apparatus, in

which Figure 1 1s a diagrammatic view showing two crossed aerials arranged in the same vertical plane and oppositely inclined to the horizon or the horizontal plane.

Figure 2 is a modification of Figure 1 showing a different connection for certain condensers.

\ Figure 3 is another modification of Figure 1 in which the oppositely inclined superpoints as indicated.

posed aerials are connected at their meeting ends and associated in a common circuit.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but having in addition means for varying the angles of the aerials with the horizontal.

Referring to the drawings: The aerials in Figure 1, in the form of linear oscillators A and B, are arranged in this instance in the same vertical plane and connected through the coils C and D respectively of a radio goniometer, the movable coil E of which is pivoted for rotation about the axis F, and is suitably associated with a detector circuit G of any desired form. In the drawings I have shown the detector circuit G coupled to the movable coil E by the coupling coils H and J.

The aerials A and B are preferably comparatively short as for instance one hundred and fifty feet long more or less, and need only be of a length sufiicient to obtain signals of the desired strength. These aerials as indicated are oppositely inclined to the horizontal plane or horizon; that is, antenna A may be considered as forming the angle a with the horizontal and antenna B as forming the angle 6. Antenna A is thus inclined toward that part of the horizon from which the signal is approaching, and antenna B is inclined away from that horizon, and although they are shown for convenience in the same vertical plane, they may of course be arranged in substantially parallel vertical planes or in other equivalent manner. Suitable means are provided for tuning the antennae to the incoming signal, and in this instance variable tuning i11- ductances K are provided in the antennae, and variable condensers M are shown connected in series in the circuits of the goniometer coils C and D, preferably at the mid- A variable condenser N is also preferably connected in series with the movable cOil E.

Although a system such as shown in Fig ure 1 receives signals equally well from a plurality of directions, let it be assumedthat signals are coming in the direction indicat-ed by the arrow 0. The currents received by the antennae A and B due to the signal waves will have the same direction and, if the wave fronts are vertical, these currents will be proportional to the sines of the angles a and b which the antennae make with the horizontal plane. Even if the wave fronts are not exactly vertical, the currents will be approximately proportional to the sines of these angles,

and will therefore be in the same sense or direction in'the two antennae A and B. The signal currents will produce a resultant magnetic field in the goniometer in a given direction making an angle of 4-5 degrees with the goniometer coils, the particular qiuarter of the goniometer in which said resultant lies being determined by the relative connection of the two coils. The sines of the angles 0; and b are of course both positive and equal, if the angles are supplementary. 7

On the other hand, vertically propagated waves due to static disturbances will be received in said antennae A and B as currents proportional to the cosines of the angles a and Z) which the antennae make with the horizontal plane. Since the angles a: and b are in'the first and second conventional trigonometric quadrants respectively, their cosines are positive and negative and the currents due to vertically propagated static disturbances are in opposite phase. For example, a vertically propagated wave polarized in the plane of the antennae may set up a current from the top toward the bottom end in one antennae, and from the bottom toward the top in the other antennae. These static currents circulating in the goniometer coils, produce a resultant magnetic field at right angles to that produced by the signal currents and when the movable coil E of the goniometer is so adjusted that maximum current is generated therein by the signal Waves it is in a position to have minimum current, and under ideal conditions, zero current, generated therein due to static waves. Other suitable means of associating the antennae may be employed but because of convenience of manipulation and delicacy of adjustment, the radio goniometer is a preferable although not a necessary instrument.

Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1 except that the tuning condensers M are connected around the tuning inductances K and goniometcr coils C and D, instead of in series as in Figure 1, because with small aerials so much inductance is not needed if the condensers are connected as described.

In the modification shown in Figure 3, the two inclined aerials P and Q instead of crossing at their mid-points are joined at their meeting ends, by means of which construction the currents due to static impulses are directly opposed to one another while the currents due to signal waves combine cunmlativcly. As in Figures 1 and 2. the signal and static currentsare proportional respectively to the trigonometrical functions, that is, the sines and cosincs of the angles which the aeriais make with the horizontal plane or horizon.

In Figure 3 the aerials are associated with a suitable detector circuit R which. in this instance, is coupled to the aerials by means of the coupling coils S and T. Variable tuning inductances K are inserted in the aerials and a variable condenser ll.

is preferably inserted in the aerials at their meeting point. The aerlals P and Q, in Figure 3 may be considered as one antenangle between the aerials P and Q which also varies the angles they make with the 'horizontal plane, and by this ,means the intensities of the electro-motive forces in the aerials due to static impulses are varied and equalized;

In Figure 4, V represents a receiving house, and the aerials P and Q, are supported on posts W and X. The further ends of the wires forming the aerials are carried over rollers Y and connected to weights ,Z as a convenient means for permitting relative movement between the wires. The meeting ends of the wires are connected to a nut 0 traveling on a screw d which is suitably supported on the post IV in bearings e and f, so that the nut 0 may be adjusted vertically by manipulating the screw d. .A bevel gear 9 on the screw meshes with a pinion h on shaft 3' which extends into the house V and is provided with a hand wheel 15 for rotating the screw. Any other suitable means may be provided for adjusting the meeting ends of the wires P1 and Q, up and down to vary. the ang es.

Insulators m are preferably provided in the aerials as shown and short leads a connected to the aerials outside of the insulators are brought into the house. In the circuit-of the leads are included the 7 variable condenser 0, the coupling coils and the variable tuning inductances q. The detector circuit G as shown is coupledto the coils p. The operation of the system is the same as that described in connection with Figure 3 In all the forms of apparatus shown, the

- antennae, or else portion of the antenna system are in the same vertical plane and extending at an angle to each other. All the antenna shown are also preferably ungrounded either by direct connection to earth or by counterpoise' In all of the figures, it is evident that antennae in the same vertical plane -will be affected by vertically propagated, heterogenously polarized waves, polarized in all planes except at right angles to the plane of the antennae. To such waves polarized horizontally at right angles to the plane of the antennae, the antennae should be substantially unresponsive. The arrangements illustrated thus substantially eliminate all static interference which is vertically propagated.

- The antenna systems disclosed herein also have the property of discriminating between signal waves of substantially the same wave Patent the following length, but having wave fronts inclined at different angles to the horizontal plane. This is due to the fact that the angles of the antennae to the said wave fronts are different. For instance, a strong nearby transmitting stationwill send waves having a more nearly vertical wave front than that produced by a weak far-ofi' station. The signal waves may come from the same or different directions and by adjusting the movable coil of the goniometer, one signal may be excludedor minimized and the other retained. The basic method and apparatus covering the principle of adjusting the an gle of the antenna relatively to the wave front is disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 275,555.

By suitable adjustments of the goniometer or receiving circuits in my present arrangements, it will be obvious that the signal may be excluded and only static received. The system can thus be used as a static tank and the static balanced against static in an antenna receiving both static and signal, as in my co-pending applications, Serial Numbers 244,564 and 275,553. I The arrangements herein described have a special utility as a means of minimizing static disturbances in those cases, compara-.

andhas a large horizontal component. In

that case, the movable goniometer coil can be set at an angle corresponding to the field set up by such static disturbances. This reduces the signal intensity but it reduces the static intensitylin much greater ratio and hence permits amplifying the signal to the desired or. necessaryextent, thus avoiding the disturbing effects of the static impulses so long as the signal and static wave fronts are not substantially identical.

In referring inmy claims to linear oscillators or antennae in the same plane, it will be understood that I do not exclude therefrom constructions having the antennae in parallel planes as this is an equivalent arrangement, and in referring to antennae as in a vertical plane, I do not exclude even considf erable departures from the vertical so long as substantial results are secured by reason of approach toward the vertical.

I claim and desire to obtain by Letters 1. In radio reception,the method of minimizing static interference, which consists in simultaneously receiving signal waves and static waves from different directions with respect to the horizonta plane, balancing out the currents due to static waves and retraining the-currents due to signal waves.

- 2. In radio reception, the method of mini, vmizing static interference, whieh consists in simultaneously receiving signal waves and static waves from difl'erent directions with tion and retaining the currents due to signal waves.

4. In radio reception, the method of minimizing static interference, which consists in simultaneously receiving signal waves and static waves from directions at right angles to each other with respect to the horizontal plane, balancing out the currents due to one kind of wave with respect to said first direction and retaining theother currents.

5. In radio reception, the method of minimizing static interference, which consists in simultaneously receiving signal waves from one direction with respect to the horizontal plane as currents substantially in the same phase and static impulses from another direction at right angles thereto with respect to said first direction as currents substantially in opposite phase, balancing out the static and retaining the signal currents.

6. In radio reception, the method of minimizing static interference, which consists in simultaneously receiving signal waves from one direction with respect to the horizontal plane as currents substantially in the same phase and static impulses from another direction at right angles thereto with respect to said first direction as currents substantially in opposite phase, balancing out currents due to one kind of wave and retaining the other currents.

7. In radio reception, the method of minimizing static interference, which consists in receiving in a plurality of antennae, signal waves as currents substantially proportional to the sines of the efiective angles of said antennae with the horizontal plane, and static impulses as currents substantially proportional to the cosines of said angles, and selectively utilizing said currents.

S. In radio reception, the method of minimizing static interference, which consists in receiving in a plurality of antennae, signal waves as currents substantially proportional to the sines of the effective angles said antennae make with the horizontal plane, and

static impulses as currents substantially proportional to the cosines of said angles, cumulatively combining the signal currents and differentially combining the static currents. In radio signaling, the method of minimizing the interference of vertically propagated static impulses with the reception of horizontally propagated signal waves, which consists in controlling the relative phases eaaeae and intensities of the currents due to said static impulses and signal waves in a plurality of antennae substantially proportionally to the cosines and sines respectively of the effective angles of said antennae with reference to the horizontal plane.

10. In radio reception, an antenna system having associated aerial portions substantially simultaneously affected by static impulses and signal waves, said portions being disposed in a manner such that the relative phases of the static and signal currents in one portion are dilferent than the relative phases of said currents in another portion.

11. In radio reception, an antenna system having associated aerial portions substantially simultaneously aflected by static impulses and signal waves, said portions being disposed in a manner such that the relative phases of the static and signal currents in one portion are different than the relative phases of said currents in another portion, and a receiving circuit associated therewith including means for selectively utilizing the desired efi'ects.

12. In radio reception, an antenna system having associated aerial portions substantially simultaneously afiected by static im-' pulses and signal waves, said portionsbeing disposed in a manner such that the relative phases of the static and signal currents in one portion are different than the relative phases of said currents in another portion, and a receiving circuit associated therewith including means for balancing out the static while retaining the signal currents.

13. In radio reception, an antenna system havingportions in the form of associated linear oscillators substantially simultaneously afi'ected by static impulses and signal waves, said portions being disposed in a manner such that the relative phases of the static and signal currents in one portion are different than the relative phases of said currents in another portion.

14. In radio reception, an antenna system having portions in the form of associated linear oscillators substantially simultaneously affected by static impulses and signal waves, said portions being disposed in a manner such that the relative phases of the static and signal currents in one portion are different than the relative phases of said currents in another portion, and a receiving circuit associated therewith including means for selectively utilizing the desired efiects.

15. In radio reception, an antenna system having portions in the form of associated linear oscillators differently afiected by static impulses, but similarly aifected by vertically polarized, horizontally propagated signal waves, and a receiving circuit associated therewith including means for balancing'out the static while retaining the signal currents.

16. In radio reception, an antenna system for receiving vertically polarized horizontally propagated waves having associated portions differently affected by static t impulses and vertically polarized, horizontally propagated signal waves in a man- .ner determined by the angular relation of said antenna portions to the respective directions of propagation of said static impulses and signal waves, said antenna po-rtions being disposed at oblique angles with the horizontal in substantially the same vertical plane and means for selectively utilizing one of saideflects and cancellingthe other effect. 7

r 17. In radio reception, an antenna system ,for receiving vertically polarized hOIlzontally propagated waves having associated portions disposed at oblique angles with the horizontal in substantially the same vertical lane, said antenna portions being different y affected by static impulses and vertically polarized, horizontally propagated signal waves in a manner determined by the angular relation of said antenna portions to the respective directions of propagation of said static impulses and signal waves, and a receiving circuit assoc1ated therewith including means for selectively utilizing one of said eiiects. v

18. In radio reception, an antenna system having 7 associated portions disposed at oblique angles with the horizontal in substantially the same vertical plane, said antenna portions being'difl'erently afiected by static impulses and vertically polarized, horizontally propagated'signal waves 1n a manner determined by the angular relation of said antenna portions to the respective directions of propagation of said static impulses and signal waves, and a receiving circuit associated therewith including means for balancing out the static while retaining the signal currents.

' a 19., In radio reception, an antenna system having associated portions disposed at obliqueangles with the horizontal in substantially the same vertical plane, said antenna portions being difierently afiected' by static impulses and vertically polarized, horizontally propagated signal waves in a manner determined by the angular relation of said antenna portions to the respective directions of propagationof said static iinpulses and signal waves, and means for discriminating etween the currents due to static disturbances and'those due to signal waves. J 20. In'radio reception, an antenna structure for receiving vertically polarized horizoiitally propagated waves having portions in the formfof linear oscillators oppositely inclined to the horizontal in substantially the same vertical plane and means for cumulatively combining the effects of said electromagnetic waves on'said portions.

21. In radio reception, an antenna in the form of a linear oscillator having portions oppositely inclined to the horizontal in substantially the same vertical plane, thereby producing opposition of currents due to static impulses and like direction of currents due to signal waves in the said antenna and means associated "with said antenna for cancelling the static currents while retaining the signal currents.

22. In apparatus of'the kind described, a plurality of antennae for receiving vertically polarized horizontally propagated waves in the form of linear oscillators in substantially the same vertical plane and having effective resultants inclined at an angle to each other, one making a greater and the other making a lesser angle with the horizontal thanis made by the direction of propagation of .the static waves, said antennae being provided with a coupling means, and a receiving circuit associated -with said coupling means for cumulatively combining said vertically polarized, horizontally propagated waves 23. In apparatus of the kind described, a plurality of antennae for receiving vertically polarized horizontally propagated waves in the form of linear oscillators in substantially the same vertical Plane and inclined at an angle 'to each other,- one i making a greaterand the other making a lesser angle with the horizontal than is made by the direction of propagation of the static waves, said antennae being provided with 'a coupling means and a receiving circuit as- .sociated with said coupling means for cumulatively combining said vertically polarized, horizontally propagated waves,

24 In apparatus of the kind described, a plurality of antennae in the form of linear oscillators crossing eachother in' substantially the same vertical plane at oblique angles with the horizontal plane, one making a greater and the other making a lesser angle with the horizontal than is made by the direction of propagation of the static waves, and a receiving circuit associated therewith including means for balancing out currents due to static disturbances while retaining currents due to signal waves. 1

25. In apparatus of the kind described, a plurality of antennae in the form of linear oscillators in substantially the same vertical plane, said oscillators having effective resultants forming oblique angles with the 1 horizontal plane, one making a greater and the other making'a lesser angle with the horizontal than is made by the direction of v propagation of the static waves, and a re-',-

ceivin circuit associated with said antennae mcluding means for balancin currents due to signal waves.

out currents 1 due to static disturbances w ile retaining? 26. In apparatus of the kind described, an antenna system for receiving vertically polarized horizontally propagated Waves having ortions arranged to be similarly affected y said vertically polarized, horizontally propagated signal waves, said portions being inclined at different effective angles to the line of propagation of static waves, and means for selectively utilizing the currents due to one of said waves and cancelling the currents due to the other of said waves.

27. In apparatus of the kind described, a linear oscillator antenna system for receiving vertically polarized horizontally propagated waves having portions arranged to be similarly affected by said vertically polarized, horizontally propagated signal Waves, said portions being effectively oppositely inclined to the line of propagation of static waves, and means for selectively utilizing the currents in said portions due to one of said waves and cancelling the currents due to the other of said waves.

28. In apparatus of the kind described, an ungrounded linear oscillator antenna system having portions arranged to be similarly affected by desired signal waves, said portions being effectively oppositely inclined to the line of propagation of static waves, and means for selectively utilizing the currents in said portions due to said desired waves.

29. In a radio communication system, an antenna system for receiving vertically polarized horizontally propagated waves having portions arranged to be similarly affected by said horizontally propagated vertically polarized waves, said portions being effectively oppositely inclined to the line of propagation of heterogeneously polarized waves from another direction, and means for selectively utilizing currents due to waves from one of said directions and cancelling currents due to waves from the other of said directions.

30. In a radio communication system, an antenna system for receiving vertically polarized horizontally propagated waves having portions arranged to be similarly affected by said horizontally propagated vertically polarized waves, said portions being effectively oppositely inclined tothe line of propagation of heterogeneously polarized waves from another direction. said antenna system being blind to such of said heterogeneously polarized waves as are polarized parallel to one axis of said antenna system, and means for selectively utilizing currents due to waves from one of said directions and cancelling currents due to waves from the other of said directions.

31. In a radio communication system, an nngrounded linear oscillator antenna system having portions arranged to be similarly affected by horizontally propagated vertically polarized waves, said portions being effectively oppositely inclined to the line of" propagation of heterogeneously polarized waves from another direction, said antenna system being blind to such of said heterogeneously polarized waves as are polarized at right angles to said portions and means for selectively utilizing currents due to waves from one of said directions.

32. In a radio communication system, an antenna system having portions arranged to be similarly afiected by horizontally propagated vertically polarized Waves, said portions being effectively oppositely inclined to the direction of propagation of heterogeneously polarized waves from another direction, said antenna system being blind to such of said heterogeneously polarized waves as are polarized in a certain direction, means associated with said system for selectively opposing effects in said portions due to one of said sorts of waves, and means for utilizing effects due to the other sort.

33. In apparatus of the kind described, an antenna system for receiving vertically polarized horizontally propagated waves having portions effectively oppositely inclined in a vertical plane to the direction of propagation of both vertically polarized, horizontally propagated signal and static waves, and similarly sensed as to one sort of wave with respect to corresponding ends of said antenna portions, but oppositely sensed as to the other sort of wave, and a common receiving circuit associated with said portions for cumulatively combining currents due to one of said waves and differentially combining the currents due to the other of said waves. V

3a. In apparatus of the kind described, an antenna system effectively receptive to waves from one direction, but inefiectively receptive to waves from another direction, said system comprising portions oppositely inclined to said directions of propagation, and a common receiving circuit associated therewith, said oppositely inclined antenna portions affecting said common receiving circuit differentially by waves in one direction, and cumulatively by Waves in the other direction.

35. In radio reception, an antenna system having associated portions substantially simultaneously affected by static impulses and si nal waves, said portions being disposed m a manner such that the relative phases of the static and signal ciirrents in one portion are different than the relative phases of said currents in another portion, and a receiving circuit associated therewith at the central portion of the antenna system including means for selectively utilizing the desired effects 36. In radio reception, an antenna system having portions in the form of associated linear oscillators, substantially simultane ously affected by static impulses and signal waves, said portions being disposed in a manner such that the relative phases of the static and signal currents in one portion are different than the relative phases of-said currents in another portion, and a receiving circuit associated therewith at the central l0 portion of the antenna system including means for selectively utilizing the desired effects.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROY ALEXANDER XVEAGANT. Witnesses:

M. H. PAYNE, HERBERT G. OGDEN. 

